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Being Married Can Decrease the Risk of Developing Dementia

Monday, December 18, 2017

The Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry published the study “Marriage and risk of dementia: systematic review of meta-analysis of observational studies,” and concluded that married people are at low risk of developing dementia. People who remain single for the duration of their lives were found to have a 42% greater risk of developing dementia, and people who are widowed have a 20% high risk. The risk of developing dementia for single people has recently been lowered to 24%. The reasoning behind these correlations includes partners leading healthier lifestyles when in a marriage, and more opportunity for social engagement. It was found that in general people who were never married had poorer physical health. Widowed people were thought to have a higher risk due to the stress of grief and mourning that occurs after the loss of a spouse. These findings were all based on observational studies and do not draw clear conclusions about correlations between marital status and risk of developing dementia.